1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to key rings and more specifically to fixed diameter irreversible loop ties for permanently securing vehicle and luggage keys and Tags.
2. Description of the Background
Ties such as cable ties and the like are well known and widely used to bundle small items such as cables and wires, and are often used to attach and secure various items together such as tags to products or even products within packaging. Common cable ties are characterized by a flat nylon track having a series of transverse teeth along a portion of one surface. At one end of the track a head is provided with an aperture through it. Within the aperture is a pawl positioned to engage the teeth when the opposite end of the track is looped over and advanced through the aperture thereby preventing the track from being withdrawn. The track can be advanced further through the aperture to tighten the tie (i.e. reduce the diameter of the loop) but cannot be withdrawn under normal circumstances to increase the loop diameter or open the loop altogether. The tie cannot be removed without cutting the track. Notably the aperture through the head is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the track such that the loop cannot be continuously circular but rather has at least one point characterized by a discrete angle. Such ties are sometimes referred to as zip ties in reference to the sound made by the pawl advancing over the teeth of the track. Such ties are not well suited for use as a key ring because the teeth interfere with access to the keys. The inability of the keys to rotate freely about the ring is further exacerbated by the oversized, rectilinear head and the discrete angle created by the orthogonal orientation of the head aperture relative to the track.
There are a variety of fixed loop ties that engage to establish a set loop diameter. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,676 to Paradis is such a fixed loop tie. Other ties include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,394 to Berrocal et al., U.S. Pat. 5,636,412 to Lodit et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,141 to King, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,946,210 and 5,056,837 to Fuehrer. Unfortunately, the self-locking engagement in the foregoing comprises a fixed stop that is either too big to fit through the aperture of a key, or not secure enough to prevent opening. Rental car and leasing companies demand an inexpensive key ring that can only be opened by cutting through it. This in turn requires a highly reliable locking mechanism in as small and compact a footprint as possible. While each of the prior art patents provides a partial solution to the problem, none resolve the problem addressed by the present disclosure. Specifically, it would be advantageous to provide a fixed loop key ring having a filament loop having on one end an inline barrel head and on the other a cooperative locking element that is quickly and easily secured in the barrel head to form a continuous, circular loop. It would further be advantageous that the head and locking element have a low profile to permit objects captured on the loop to move freely around the loop without getting hung up at any particular point. It would be further advantageous to provide a head and cooperative locking tool for permanently deforming and thereby securing the locking element within the head.